Car-coupling



J. E. SCOTT.

CAR COUPLING;

Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

"(No Model.)

' WITNESSES UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES E SCOTT, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,146, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed October 30, 1895. Serial No. 667,449. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES E. SCOTT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings;

and I do declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a side elevation of the invention applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a front view of same. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through drawbar. Fig. 4 is a section on line at, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows perspective views of sliding supports. T The object of this invention is to provide a car-coupling which is designed to effect a coupling automatically by impact, which can be uncoupled without going between the cars, which is capable of operation with cars of widely-varying heights and can be used in connection with an ordinary coupling-link, which is simple in its construction and operation, and which is strong and durable.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the draw-head of one of my improved couplings, which is formed at its forward end with two link-receiving cavities B and 0, one above the other. These cavities are each somewhat conical in form, being beveled inwardly from all sides toward the center in order that at whatever point an entering-link first impinges it will be guided directly to the center.

' D D are sliding pin-supports, one of which is provided for each cavity, being seated in guideways formed in the draw-head, with their forward ends projecting into the rear or throat portions of the respective cavities. Said supports consist each of a flat plate which is formed near its outer or forward end with a transverse shoulder a on both its upper and lower faces, said shoulders being designed to engage the forward walls of .slots E, which are formed in the head above and below each of said supports, the purpose of this engagement being to limit the forward movement of said plate. The forward end of each support is curved to conform to the end of the coupling-link F, and is formed with a groove 1), which is designed to fit the end of the link nicely in order to keep the latter in a straightforward position whereby it Will more read ily and certainly enter the draw-head of an approaching car.

G G are coil-springs, one of which is placed behind each of the said supports, being seated in the said slot E E upon guides H. Said guides consist each of a single piece of metal bent centrally upon itself, its free forward end portions being bent to form hooks h,which engage sea-ts above and below in the drawhead. The springs are slipped over these guides, and the rear portions of the supports pass between the arms thereof into contact with said springs, as best seen in Fig. 3. The rear portion of each guide is seated in a recess cl, and the supports are grooved at e e to slide on the arms thereof.

I designates the coupling-pin for the lower coupling, said pin being carried by a transverse plate J, which is arranged to slide vertically on guide-pins K in a slot or-cavity L of the draw-head.

M designates the coupling-pin for the upper cavity. Said pin is carried by a yoke N, which slides freely on the said pin and engages the head thereof to raise it and effect the uncoupling.

O O are two headed pins which slide freely in apertures of the draw-head. The lower ends of the pins are screwed onto the plate J, and their upper headed ends are engaged by the yoke N.

P is a cranked operating lever or shaft, which is connected to the said yoke and is extended to the sides of the car by-which it may be operated; or said yoke may be operated from the top of the car by means of a suitable rod or lever connected thereto.

The draw-head is usually made up of five different plates or sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, placed one above another and secured to gether by through-bolts or the like. In the two upper sections, 1 and 2, are formed the slots E E for the upper spring, G, and in the lower sections, 4. and 5, are formed the similar slots for the lower spring.

The central section, 3, which is somewhat thicker than the others, has therein the cavity L in which works the plate K. The upper section, 1, has a projection P at its upper forward portion in which is formed a part of the upper cavity, 13, and through which works the upper pin, I, and the pins 0 O.

The operation is as follows: In making a coupling the link of the approaching car (supposing it is this car which carries the link) enters either the upper or lower cavity of the draw-head, according to the height of the car, and is guided to the center thereof into contact with the sliding pin-support. This forces the said support backward against the stress of spring G and permits the coupling-pin I or M (which has hitherto been resting on said support) to fall through the link and make the coupling. If it is the lower pin, the plate J falls in the cavity L, the pins 0 O sliding freely through the yoke. If the upper pin, it drops freely through the yoke.

To uncouple, the lever P or other operating device is actuated to raise the yoke and withdraw the pin'from the link, the support D being at once thrown forward by its spring to catch the pin when the lever is released. As the said yoke raises both pins, the uncoupling is effected, no matter in which of the two cavities the link F may be.

If it is desired to use only the upper coupling the two lower sections, 4 and 5, of the draw-head may be removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupling, a draw-head having two independent link-receiving cavities, one above the other, sliding, spring-actuated pinsupports, one for each of said cavities, a separate pin for each cavity, and a device common to both pins and connected thereto, Where each may be raised by the operation of said device to effect an uncoupling, substantially as specified.

2. In a car-coupling, a draw-head having two independent link-receiving cavities, one above the other, sliding, spring-actuated, pinsupporting plates, one for each of said cavities and seated behind the same, a couplingpin for the lower cavity, a plate which carries said pin and which is arranged to slide vertically in a cavity of the draw-head, a coupling-pin for the upper cavity, a yoke loosely engaging said pin, pins connected to the vertically-sliding plate and loosely engaged by the said yoke, and means for raising said yoke, substantially as specified.

In a car-coupling, the combination with a draw-head having a link-receiving cavity therein, of a horizontally-s1iding pin-support seated behind said cavity and adapted to project into the throat thereof, a spring seated in a slot below said plate and incontact therewith, and a guide comprising a piece of metal bent upon itself and passed through said spring, the free forward ends of said guide being bent to form hooks which engage seats in the draw-head, substantially as specified.

4:. In a car-coupling, the draw-head composed of the superposed plate-sections 1, 2, 3, el and 5, and formed with two link-receiving chambers or cavities, one above the other, a sliding springactuated pin-support for each of said cavities or chambers, a separate coupling-pin for each cavity or chamber and a device common to both pins and connected thereto, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. SCOTT.

\Vitnesses:

AARON KoHN, W ALTER KOI-IN. 

